Happy Monday and Halloween Week!!! As I was scrolling through my Instagram and other Social media feeds, I was struck by something today – a lot of businesses have some very boring posts and content. I can’t tell you how many marketing firms post some generic marketing image and have some canned comment about “Content being King”. It really doesn’t make an impression and makes users go right by, without ever giving it a second look. I picked the featured Image of Morticia Addams for two reasons – 1) It’s Halloween and I love Mortica and 2) the message – in a world full of Kardashians, you have to stand out by offering unique content.
What constitutes unique content vs generic content? I suppose that is a very subjective topic – but I think we can all agree on some generalized ideas. Content is supposed to do a few things – a) engage and interest a customer b) get them to respond or follow c) get them to click thru to a landing page or website. To accomplish all three, I highly recommend one important rule – be different and unique (some may say quirky or offbeat).
Deliver a generic message in a Unique package:
Did you know that today in 1998 John Glenn became the oldest person to go to space, as well as the oldest? The basic message there is it’s never too late to accomplish great things (which is highly generic). However, if you were to post a picture of John Glenn and hashtag things like patriotic, Nasa, keep dreaming, etc – the message is couched in a cool historical fact. It brings in an audience that might not, at first, be interested in a Digital Marketing Agency – but the post is engaging and interesting. It gets attention and then once they are hooked – there is a greater chance they will convert to a website visit.
Basically, the uniqueness I am speaking of comes from finding ways to get the audience hooked and engaged. Stay away from what people expect and go with the unexpected. You will find (as I do) that some of the most off-beat and odd posts get the most hits and engagement.
Step outside of your Industry:
Every business has their ideal target audience. Of course, we try to tailor our content to attract that particular audience. I’m here to tell you to stop that right now. If you are fishing in the same pond as all your competitors, eventually there will be no fish left. So, step out of your industry and try a different pond to fish.
Did you know that today is National Cat Day? Why not post a picture of a cute kitten and show love for people’s feline companions? The benefit to doing this is you bring in an entire audience that just sticking to your target audience won’t get you. And it’s a generalized enough topic that people who own cats and are your audience will feel even more connected to your brand. More than just trying to sell them on how great your product is – you are connecting with their interests and lives. That connection will always lead to better engagement.
Be Edgy:
I’m not saying be Andrew Dice Clay here – but don’t be afraid to rock the boat. If you are on the fence about posting something because it might offend people, then post it. Edgy is good. The more you push boundaries and test how far you audience will let you go – the better chance you have of making real connections.
Good example of this was over the weekend it was the birthday of John Gotti. Not something you’d really want to post on a business page I am guessing most of you would assume. But when couched in the language of #infamous history, and a comment that doesn’t condone nor approve of the man’s life – it works. How do I know this? I posted it on Saturday and it did amazingly well.
Don’t be afraid to offend people with your content. If you start living in fear of a triggered people, your marketing creativity will die very quickly.
Always have a way to contact you:
This is a really important thing to remember with content. I try to include in all my posts a simple #visitusonline http://www.bedfordstmarketing.com. Once someone has commented on your post or liked it, having a way for them to #learnmore or #visitus is a logical next step. Depending on what traffic your want to drive, this simple trick can be used to increase web traffic, get emails or get people to visit a product specific landing page.
So, in closing – be unique and different. In today’s social media marketing world, stand out and be a Morticia. It’s more interesting anyway!!!
Bedford Street Marketing Insights 